"Open the door! Open the door quickly, I want to see the old lady!" A maidservant, dressed in tattered clothes and with disheveled hair, was pounding on the Yu family's gate.

The servant inside opened the side door and poked his head out impatiently, saying, "Do you think you can just see the old lady whenever you want? If you have nothing to do, go stand over there."

After he finished speaking, he threw out two white steamed buns. Before the maid could react, the beggars outside the door rushed forward and snatched the buns away.

Helpless, the maid had no choice but to knock on the door again.

"Open the door! I am Cui'er, the personal maid of the Second Miss. I have important matters to report to the Old Madam!"

He kept calling until his voice was hoarse before the side door opened again, and the servant came out again, followed by the steward.

Upon seeing this, the maidservant hurriedly stepped forward.

"Butler, it's me, Cui'er. Don't you remember me?"

The steward stared at the maid closely for a long time before recognizing her.

"Cui'er, didn't you go to Cangwu County with the Second Miss as part of her dowry? Why are you back?"

Knowing the situation was urgent, he didn't say much and the steward quickly led the maid inside.

Just before closing the door, he rolled his eyes at the servant, inwardly cursing him for being blind.

"The Second Miss had an accident. She asked me to come back and see the Old Madam. I used my own money to hire two carriages to go to Nanzhou Prefecture. But halfway there, the coachman had malicious intentions and almost killed me for money. Luckily, a caravan from a security escort agency passed by and I survived."

"I heard that the second young lady has had a hard time. I really feel sorry for her."

The two walked and talked, and soon arrived at the old lady's courtyard.

The old lady was watching the wet nurse breastfeed her only grandson when she asked the housekeeper to take her to a side hall.

In the side hall, the maid waited for a long time before the old lady finally arrived, supported by a servant.

The maid knelt on the ground and told her the whole truth. At the end, the maid prostrated herself on the ground and begged the old lady with tears in her eyes.

"Please, Madam, save the Second Miss!"

The old lady lifted her eyelids, her gaze sweeping lightly over her before looking into the void.

"Flies don't land on eggs without cracks. If your second young lady has done nothing wrong, how could anyone find fault with her? Since she is pregnant with the Zhou family's child, she should take good care of herself and give birth to the eldest grandson."

"Madam, the Second Miss did nothing wrong; she has been framed!"

The maid crawled forward two steps on her knees and reached the old lady's feet.

The old lady was disgusted by the stench emanating from her. She covered her mouth with her handkerchief in disgust and said in an unfriendly tone, "She has tarnished the Yu family's reputation with her own improper behavior and should atone with her death! What are you doing bringing me back here?"

The maid was stunned. The old lady had said such sweet words to the second young lady when she was getting married, but now that something had happened, her words were so vicious.

She couldn't believe that the old lady would so cruelly kick the second young lady when she was down, a girl who had married for the benefit of the Yu family.

Just as the maid was at a loss, a beautiful woman rushed in despite the servants' attempts to stop her.

The woman was He Shi, Yu Xunli's birth mother, and she was kneeling at the old lady's feet.

"Madam, I heard that Li'er has had an accident in Cangwu County. Please have mercy and save her!"

A hint of disgust flashed across the old lady's face. She remembered that when they were young, the Yu family head's favorite concubine was He Shi, even though she was unlucky in bearing children and only gave birth to a daughter. He Shi was still favored by the family head.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She stood up and kicked He Shi to the ground, pointing at her and cursing loudly.

"It is because of a mother like you that such a shameless daughter was raised, disgracing the Yu family. You should die with her!"

Now that the old man is dead, there is no one left to protect this vixen. The old lady was overjoyed and strode out of the side hall, supported by the nanny.

"Hurry up! My precious grandson is probably full, I need to go and put him to sleep."

The old lady's words made He Shi, who was kneeling on the ground, grit her teeth and her face contorted with anger.

"Aunt He, why don't we go and beg Miss for help?"

With a determined look on her face, Madam He led her maid to Yu Xunmei's room.

After hearing this, Yu Xunmei did not make things difficult for the poor mother. She summoned the people that Yu Shida had left for her and ordered them to go to the Zou family in Cangwu County.

"We must bring the Second Miss back no matter what!"

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys!"

He saw hope in her eyes, "Thank you, Miss!"

“Aunt He, there’s no need for such formalities. Just go back and wait. I’m sure they’ll bring Second Sister back soon,” Yu Xunmei comforted her.

She felt a vague unease. Why didn't the Zou family inform the Yu family beforehand when such a big thing happened? Instead, Yu Xunli's maid escaped back to report the news, which was very illogical.

Although her brother and father are dead, the Yu family is still the same Yu family.

Could it be that someone did something behind this?

Yu Xunmei was completely baffled.

In just half a day, the people sent to Cangwu County returned, bringing with them the news that Yu Xunli had been drowned.

Aunt He in the backyard couldn't bear the blow and went completely insane.

After a moment of stunned silence, Old Madam Yu gave a sinister laugh.

"Dead? Good riddance!"

Her sons were all gone, and apart from the son and daughter left by Yu Shicheng, there was nothing else in the Yu family that she cared about.

"Lier, where are you? Your aunt is here to take you home!"

Yu Qiutao was carrying her child when she was startled by the sudden appearance of He Shi, and the child in her arms clung tightly to her clothes.

"Auntie, I'm scared!"

He looked at Yu Qiutao and her daughter with a grin; her ten fingers were dirty and looked like dried chicken claws.

"Li'er, be good, don't be afraid! Your aunt is here!"

Seeing that He was about to snatch the child from her arms, Yu Qiutao quickly stepped aside, "What are you standing there for? Pull them apart!"

The maid and wet nurse who were with her stepped forward and pulled He Shi away, knocking her to the ground.

Yu Qiutao hurriedly took the child and left. Ever since the old lady had her grandson, she had been much nicer to the mother and daughter, and every day she would take the child to her yard to play with the young master.

Even though she was thrown to the ground, He was not angry. She grinned, clapped her hands, and laughed.

"Madam He goes crazy and wanders around the backyard every day. Don't the old lady and the eldest young lady do anything about it?" the maid couldn't help but complain.

Yu Qiutao rolled her eyes at her, "Don't meddle, hurry up and leave."

Watching the group's departing figures, a dark glint flashed in He's eyes. She continued to mutter blankly, occasionally letting out a silly laugh.

"Li'er, my child, where are you?"

"Auntie, dinner is ready. Let's go back and eat!"

Cui'er hurriedly came out of the hanging flower archway, and before helping Madam He leave, she also glanced in the direction of the main courtyard.

"Father, please stop talking. I will not agree!"

After dealing with the drought in various parts of Cangwu County, the old patriarch of the Su family wanted to call back the disciples who were developing in Longtan.

"Now the Su family is renowned far and wide; throughout the entire Cangwu County, who doesn't know the Su family!"

"If you do this, won't we look like ungrateful villains?"

Su Kunliang sat in the chair, so angry that his head was spinning.